I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 9134 

To amend the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act 

to direct the Director of the National Science Foundation to carry 

out a mentorship demonstration program, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 25, 2024 

Ms. MCCLELLAN (for herself, Mr. TONKO, Ms. CROCKETT, Ms. CLARKE of 

New York, Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia, Mr. CARSON, Mr. MULLIN, Ms. 

LEE of California, Ms. SALINAS, Ms. STRICKLAND, Mrs. SYKES, Ms. 

ROSS, and Mrs. FOUSHEE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 

A BILL 

To amend the Research and Development, Competition, and 

Innovation Act to direct the Director of the National 

Science Foundation to carry out a mentorship demonstration program, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Improving Mentorship 

5 in STEM Higher Education Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. MENTORSHIP DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM; NA2 TIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION REPORTING. 

3 (a) DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.—Section 10313(a) 

4 of the Research and Development, Competition, and Inno5 vation Act (42 U.S.C. 18993) is amended by adding at 

6 the end the following: 

7 ‘‘(6) DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.— 

8 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Director may 

9 make awards, including through existing pro10 grams, on a competitive basis to eligible entities 

11 to carry out projects designed to improve 

12 mentorship practices and provide resources for 

13 faculty, graduate researchers, and postdoctoral 

14 researchers at the eligible entity, including with 

15 respect to— 

16 ‘‘(i) building and developing men17 toring skills in such researchers and fac18 ulty; 

19 ‘‘(ii) promoting evidence-based and in20 stitutionalized mentorship at the eligible 

21 entity; 

22 ‘‘(iii) researching methodologies for 

23 improving mentorship; 

24 ‘‘(iv) training such researchers and 

25 faculty in cultural competencies; and 


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1 ‘‘(v) funding outreach related to such 

2 projects. 

3 ‘‘(B) APPLICATION.—An eligible entity de4 siring an award under this subsection shall sub5 mit to the Director an application at such time, 

6 in such form, and containing such information 

7 as the Director may require. 

8 ‘‘(C) SPECIAL CONSIDERATION.—In mak9 ing awards under this subsection, the Director 

10 shall give special consideration to eligible enti11 ties that are— 

12 ‘‘(i) minority-serving institutions; 

13 ‘‘(ii) historically Black colleges and 

14 universities; 

15 ‘‘(iii) Tribal Colleges or Universities; 

16 ‘‘(iv) rural-serving institutions of 

17 higher education (as such term is defined 

18 in section 861(b) of the Higher Education 

19 Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1161q(b))); 

20 ‘‘(v) emerging research institutions; 

21 and 

22 ‘‘(vi) consortia that include institu23 tions described in clauses (i) through (v). 

24 ‘‘(D) REPORT.—Not later than 5 years 

25 after the date of the enactment of this paraVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:04 Aug 21, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H9134.IH H9134

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1 graph, the Director shall submit to the Com2 mittee on Science, Space, and Technology and 

3 the Committee on Appropriations of the House 

4 of Representatives and the Committee on Com5 merce, Science, and Transportation and the 

6 Committee on Appropriations of the Senate a 

7 report that includes— 

8 ‘‘(i) an assessment, using qualitative 

9 or quantitative metrics as determined by 

10 the Director, of the effectiveness of the 

11 demonstration program carried out under 

12 this paragraph on increasing the quality of 

13 mentorship in STEM education; and 

14 ‘‘(ii) if such assessment determines 

15 that such program is effective, a plan to 

16 sustain and permanently implement such 

17 program. 

18 ‘‘(E) ELIGIBLE ENTITY DEFINED.—For 

19 purposes of this paragraph, the term ‘eligible 

20 entity’ means— 

21 ‘‘(i) an institution of higher education 

22 (as such term is defined in section 101 of 

23 the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 

24 U.S.C. 1001)); 

25 ‘‘(ii) a nonprofit organization; and 


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1 ‘‘(iii) a consortium of entities de2 scribed in clauses (i) and (ii). 

3 ‘‘(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

4 are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this para5 graph $5,000,000, for fiscal years 2025 through 2029.’’. 

6 (b) MISCONDUCT REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.—Sec7 tion 7009 of the America COMPETES Act (42 U.S.C. 

8 1862o–1) is amended— 

9 (1) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as 

10 paragraphs (3) and (4), respectively; and 

11 (2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the fol12 lowing: 

13 ‘‘(2) institutional and agency reporting proc14 esses with respect to harassment, discrimination, 

15 and other forms of professional or scientific mis16 conduct;’’. 

Æ 


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